Posts Tagged ‘Mike Baird’

Collective Shout, the grassroots campaign movement against the objectification of women and sexualisation of girls, announces Kerryn Baird as its new Ambassador.

The announcement was made at a fundraising event for the movement held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney last night for International Day of the Girl Child. Addressing the event was Ms Baird’s first function as Ambassador.

Attending the event with her was her husband and NSW Premier Mike Baird.

In her speech, Ms Baird said she decided to accept the invitation to become an Ambassador because she believed children were at risk of losing their childhood.

“I want more for our girls. And boys,” she said.

“Like many of you in the room, I have daughters. I have hopes for them. I want them to fulfil their potential. To be able to contribute.

“I want a world where words to describe girls not as sexy, and hot, but as worthy, strong, healthy, active, imaginative”.

Co-founder Melinda Tankard Reist, who also spoke at the function, said she was delighted to welcome Ms Baird as Ambassador.

“Kerryn heard me speak at a private girls’ school in Sydney recently. She asked what she could do to help the cause. I asked if she would consider becoming an Ambassador. She said yes!” Ms Tankard Reist said.

I woke this morning, turned on the TV to ABC News 24, and saw a caption at bottom of screen which read ‘gunman dead’. Having, probably like most Australians, stayed up late watching events unfold before succumbing to sleep, at first I felt relief – did these mean the hostages were OK? But the full caption was obscured by an image from the scene – within seconds I saw that two others had been killed: 38-year-old barrister and mother of three Katrina Dawson and 34-year-old Lindt Chocolate Café store manager Tori Johnson.

In the wake of the tragedy and devastation of the Sydney Siege this morning, represented in an unending tribute of flowers for the loss of Dawson and Johnson, many are asking how Man Haron Monis, with a string of violent offences, including 50 sexual assault charges and being charged in November 2013 with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife and mother of two Noleen Hayson Pal (who was stabbed and set alight) was out on bail.

A Change petition has been launched calling on NSW Mike Baird to toughen bail laws. Please support it.

Sydney siege gunman should have been in jail. We demand stronger bail laws

Sarah Langston

Sydney, NSW

After the #sydneysiege we have learnt this man was let out on bail after facing accessory to murder charges and about 40 sexual assault charges.

Bail laws were meant to have been changed already, but “administrative bungles” have stalled them until late January. That’s not good enough. We need stronger bail laws that would have kept this dangerous man behind bars right now.

The public deserves to be protected from violent criminals.

‘All these women might still be alive if their killers had not been paroled’ is a column I wrote two years ago about women who were killed at the hands of men out on parole. No, the tragedy we have just witnessed isn’t just about women of course. But the issue of bail and early parole is relevant in that Man Haron Monis was returned to society, with all its privileges, enabling him to plot his next brutal (and fatal) path.

The actions of Tori Johnson, who was fatally shot in the Martin Place siege while trying to disarm the hostage-taker, allowing others to escape, are a deeply moving antidote to the behaviour of men like Man Haron Monis and those I wrote about. Thank you Tori for reminding us of what good men look like.

Violence against women is a public safety issue: violence begets violence

Man Haron Monis was awaiting trial for the murder of his ex-wife: Why was he granted bail?

Lucia Osborne-Crowley

The comment made by the magistrate who granted Monis bail the first time – for the accessory to murder charge – is telling. He said Monis is not a threat to public safety because the only person he posed a threat to was his deceased ex-wife. This assumption that Monis’ violence was limited to one woman and one situation denies a proven connection between violence against women and a series of other issues of public safety. It underlines an assumption that men who are violent towards women are not necessarily violent men.

It underestimates the reality that violence against women is, itself, a public safety issue.

We have long understood that violence begets violence, but what we somehow can’t understand is that violence against women is no different. Read full article

‘The foremost authority in Australia cyber safety lays it on the line and challenges parents to find their digital spine.’ – Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

Whether it is problems with friends, worrying about how you look or just feeling a bit down in the dumps – these books are written especially for you – to help you in your journey. Purchase all four together and save $18.50 on postage! Author: Sharon Witt

In this DVD, Melinda takes us on a visual tour of popular culture. “Melinda’s presentation leaves audiences reeling. She delivers her message with a clarity and commonsense without peer.” – Steve Biddulph, author, Raising Boys, Raising Girls

In this easy-to-read updated book, Steve Biddulph shares powerful stories and give practical advice about every aspect of boyhood.

Men of Honour -written by Glen Gerreyn- encourages and inspires young men to take up the challenge to be honourable. Whether at school, in sport, at work or in relationships, we must develp our character to achieve success and experience the thrills life has on offer.

Purchase the Ruby Who? DVD and book together for only $35 saving 10% off the individual price.

“Getting Real contains a treasure trove of information and should be mandatory reading for all workers with young people in health, education and welfare” – Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, Adolescent Psychologist

Do you read women’s lifestyle magazines? Have you thought about how magazines might affect you when you read them? Faking It reflects the body of academic research on magazines, mass media, and the sexual objectification of women.

Ruby Who? is the sweet and innocent story of a little girl’s adventure in re-discovering her identity. Ruby wishes for so many things and dreams of being like others. Will she end up forgetting how to just be herself?

Ruby Who? is the sweet and innocent story of a little girl’s adventure in re-discovering her identity. Ruby wishes for so many things and dreams of being like others. Will she end up forgetting how to just be herself?

Defiant Birth challenges widespread medical, and often social aversion to less than perfect pregnancies or genetically different babies. It also features women with disabilities who were discouraged from becoming pregnant at all.